CBeebies Parenting

How can singing and music help children learn, connect and express themselves? Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore why music can be such a powerful part of family life, from babies hearing voices before they are born to children developing their own musical tastes.
MOBO and Mercury Prize nominated musician Kojey Radical talks about music at home, becoming a dad and learning to embrace the songs and sounds his son naturally loves. Professor Lauren Stewart, a professor in the neuroscience of music at the University of Roehampton and consultant on the Happy Song, the first piece of music scientifically proven to make babies smile, explains why singing to children is not about having a perfect voice, but about communication, bonding and emotional connection.
For more ideas and parenting resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website.
Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

Starting school is a big milestone, so what does school readiness really mean? Katie Thistleton and Guvna B are live from the CBeebies House studio in Salford, in front of an audience of local parents and children, to explore how families can help little ones build confidence, independence and everyday skills without putting pressure on them to be academically ahead.
With CBeebies already helping children explore that big step through shows like Dodge’s Pup School, this episode looks at how parents and carers can support school readiness through play, routines and reassurance. Clinical psychologist and CBeebies Parenting expert Dr Martha Deiros Collado shares practical advice on separation, asking for help and managing big feelings.
The Traitors fan favourite turned presenter Minah Shannon talks about preparing her daughter for school, while Emma Gill, Parents Editor at the Manchester Evening News, shares what local families often worry about, from school gate nerves to getting extra support.
Visit the CBeebies Parenting website for expert-backed advice, activities and practical support around starting school. There’s also the Get Ready to Go with CBeebies song, which families can watch and sing along to together as a fun way to start conversations about school, routines and feelings.
Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

Boredom. It’s a word that strikes fear into the hearts of parents everywhere. Because let's be honest, the moment a child says, 'I'm boooored,' many of us feel an urgent need to become all singing, all dancing entertainers, and activity planners, all rolled into one.
But what if boredom isn't the enemy? What if those moments of unstructured play are where imagination, creativity, and a little bit of independence begin? What happens when we accept our own experiences of parental boredom?
Well, join Katie and Guv as they explore why it's okay, and maybe even healthy, for us and our little ones to be bored from time to time with NHS GP, TV doctor, Strictly star and author of The Mother Load: Every Mother’s Guide to Juggling Health, Dr Punam Krishan and experimental social psychologist at the University of Essex, Dr Wijnand van Tilburg, whose research specialises in boredom.
So step away from the glue gun and start listening.

Recorded in front of a live audience at Camp Bestival, Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore why parents so often feel judged for the choices they make and the best ways of dealing with it.
In The Library tent, with the sounds of the main stage drifting in from outside, they sat down with viral content creator MumBum and GP and author of How to Be a Dad, Dr Oscar Duke, to talk about the judgements they've faced as parents.
Feeling judged is something that can seep into every part of parenting. It's there in the small decisions and the big ones, in the comments people make, the looks they give, and even the assumptions we make about what others might be thinking.
And sometimes it's not even coming from other people. Sometimes it's the voice in our own heads, telling us we should be calmer, more patient, more organised, more present, more fun... more everything.
So why do parents often feel judged? We explore what really matters and what we can afford to let go of.
For more ideas and resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website.
Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com

You might not believe it, but both Charlie and comedian Sara have struggled with shyness their entire lives.
Shyness affects half of UK adults and can often begin in childhood. How should we approach shyness in our kids? Author and confidence coach Nadia helps to provide some answers.